Get to Know Research Services

Julie Minton is a Research Unit Leader at WRF and directs one of three research units at the Foundation. Julie has been at the Foundation for 11 years, and is currently the Project Director for a $4.5M grant from the California State Water Board, which includes five direct potable reuse projects to help California develop regulations, and 20 potable and non-potable reuse projects. Julie has a bachelor’s degree in biology from St. Mary’s College of Maryland.

Areas of Expertise: Reuse, Reuse-Agricultural, Reuse-Non-potable, Reuse-Potable, Desalination

Jeff Moeller serves as a Research Unit Leader at WRF and directs one of three research units at the Foundation. Jeff has over 25 years of experience leading research in the areas of wastewater treatment, stormwater, decentralized systems, and integrated water management. He has also served as the WRF Director of Water Technologies managing the LIFT program. Jeff has a BS in civil engineering from North Carolina State University and an MS in civil and environmental engineering from M.I.T.

Areas of Expertise: Stormwater, Wastewater Treatment, Integrated Planning & Water Management, Nutrients, Innovation

Dr. Kenan Ozekin works as a Research Unit Leader at WRF and directs one of three research units at the Foundation. Dr. Ozekin has more than 25 years of experience in the areas of water quality and treatment, advanced water treatment processes, water disinfection, disinfection by-products, and wildfires. Dr. Ozekin has a BS in chemical engineering from Istanbul Technical University, an MS in chemical engineering, and a PhD in environmental engineering from the University of Colorado.

Areas of Expertise: Advanced Treatment, Climate Change, Disinfection and Disinfection Byproducts, Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, and Wildfires

Lyndsey Bloxom is a Research Program Manager at WRF. She manages projects to advance adaptive water supply planning, in-situ and real-time water quality monitoring, and projects related specifically to water reuse, including stormwater capture and use, monitoring and pathogen removal validation, and innovative advanced treatment trains. Lyndsey has a bachelor's degree in Geology and Environmental Science from William and Mary and a master’s degree in Hydrogeology from Virginia Tech.

Areas of Expertise: Water Supply Planning, Water Reuse, Groundwater, Stormwater, Monitoring, Communication

Ashwin Dhanasekar serves as a Research Program Manager at WRF. He leads the Energy Efficiency and Optimization WRF Research Area, as well as research topics related to carbon management and biosolids. Ashwin has a BS in Chemical Engineering from Anna University, India, and an MS in Environmental Engineering from Colorado State University.

Areas of Expertise: Energy, Resource Recovery, Biosolids, Microplastics, Reuse

Stephanie Fevig has been a Research Program Manager at WRF since 2018. She leads two Priority Research Areas: Nutrients Treatment: Intensification, Reliability, and Efficiency and Source Separated Organics Feedstock Pre-Treatment and Management Practices. She has a master’s degree in Environmental Engineering from Colorado School of Mines and a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from New Mexico State University.

Areas of Expertise: Wastewater Treatment, Nutrients, Anaerobic Digestion, Resource Recovery, Biosolids

Miriam Hacker serves as a Research Program Manager at WRF. Her area of expertise includes the Utility Management and Workforce Research Areas and is involved with additional research topics, including water reuse, decentralization and resilience. Miriam earned her BS and MS in civil engineering from the University of Washington, with an emphasis on environmental engineering, and her PhD in civil engineering the University of Washington with an emphasis in construction, energy, and sustainable infrastructure. 

Areas of Expertise: Utility Management, Workforce, Decentralized Systems, Desalination, Innovation, Resilience, Security and Emergency Management, Stormwater, Water Reuse

Grace Jang has been a Research Program Manager at WRF since 2009. Dr. Jang is currently the lead on WRF’s Waterborne Pathogens in Distribution and Plumbing Systems Research Area. She received her BS degree in environmental engineering, her MS degrees in environmental engineering and biomedical engineering, and her PhD in environmental engineering from Arizona State University.

Areas of Expertise: Biofilms, Biofiltration, Microbes & Pathogens, Water Quality, Premise Plumbing

Lola Olabode serves as a Research Program Manager at WRF where she has worked since 2000. Lola directs the portfolio on constituents of emerging concern, microplastics in water, and receiving water linkages in water quality. Lola has a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Tougaloo College, a master's degree in public health from George Washington University, and is a board-certified environmental scientist by eminence.

Areas of Expertise: Public Health, Pathogens, Microplastics, Constituents of Emerging Concern, Nutrients

Sydney Samples serves as a Research Program Manager at WRF. Sydney received her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and Spanish with a minor in Political Science from Simpson College. She received her master’s degree in International Environmental Policy with a specialization in Natural Resources Policy and Management from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.

Areas of Expertise: Climate Change: Climate Impacts, Public Health, Water Quality (Drinking Water)

Mary Messec Smith has been a Research Program Manager at WRF since 2010, and currently directs the PFAS Research Area. Mary previously directed the Hexavalent Chromium and the Intelligent Water Networks Research Areas. Mary earned her MSc in Environmental Science & Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.

Areas of Expertise: Distribution Systems, Water Quality, Security and Emergency Management, Intelligent Water Systems, Constituents of Emerging Concern

Harry Zhang serves as Research Program Manager on Integrated Water and Stormwater at WRF. Harry directs the Sustainable Integrated Water Management (SIWM) and Stormwater research portfolios. Harry has a PhD in civil and environmental engineering (water resources) and a minor in systems engineering from the University of Virginia.

Areas of Expertise: Stormwater & Flood Management, Integrated Water Management & Planning (including Groundwater), Watershed Management & Stream Restoration, Decentralized Systems, Climate Impacts on Water Quantity and Quality

Jian Zhang has served as a Research Program Manager at WRF since 2002. He currently leads WRF’s ongoing Research Area focused on water infrastructure resilience. Jian has a bachelor's degree and a master’s degree in environmental engineering from Tongji University, China, and a PhD in environmental engineering from the University of Cincinnati.

Areas of Expertise: Asset Management, Condition Assessment, Pipes, Resilience, Risk Assessment